Marketing Research and Management Decision problem of Bata Shoe Bangladesh Ltd. A Retail Store in Sylhet.

1. Letter of Transmittal
10th
April, 2017
Md. Sadiqul Azad
Lecturer
Department of Business Administration
Metropolitan University Sylhet.
Dear Sir,
With great gratification we submit our research report that you have assigned to us as an
important requirement of Marketing Research course. Please see enclosed here with our
research report on `Marketing Research Begins at Home (or near the Campus'. This is a
great pleasure for us to submit this paper that you have assigned us. This paper was
worthwhile experience for us. We have truly enjoyed our time attachment with the
preparation of this report.
We have tried to make the report comprehensive one within the time. Any short of
suggestion
regarding the paper would be greatly acknowledging and we would feel gratified if our
paper serves its purposes.
Sincerely yours,
Kapil Uddin
141-116-051
Ruhit Anam
Md Anayetul Haque Chowdhury
Ashfaq

2. Acknowledgement
Nothing can be accomplished alone. Without the help of the number of persons the
success remains silent. First and foremost, we want to thank Almighty Allah for giving us
the ability to conduct our regularities and complete the report within the due timeperiod.
Without His grace and sympathy, all our tasks would have been impossible to complete.
Secondly, we thank our respected course instructor Md. Sadiqul Azad for giving an overall
concept on the process of preparation of the report. Also we are really acknowledged to
you as without your instruction any of our endeavors couldn't be possible. The guidance
he has been providing us throughout the semester has been enlightening and very
helpful. We are also deeply thankful to all the respondent of the questioner. Last but
certainly not least, we thank each other in the group because all of us came together as
one in helping each other out in times of stress and beyond.

3. Executive Summary
Bata Shoe isa multinational company. They started their operations in Bangladesh in 1962
by opening their branch office. After that they started as full-fledged company in 1972. I
have discussed about the products of Bata and business of Bata in the term paper. Bata
is the no. 1 brand in footwear market. Their product range is very large. They are making
shoes for all type of customers. They are doing very good in the shoe sector. I have
discussed here about the strategies and their overall business in Bangladesh.
INTRODUCTION
Bata Shoe Company is one of the largest companies not only in Bangladesh but also in
many other countries. Bata Shoes is a large, family owned shoe company based in
Bermuda but currently headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and operates 4 business
units worldwide – Bata Europe, Bata Emerging Markets, Bata Branded Business and Bata
North America. It has a retail presence in over 50 countries and production facilities in 26
countries. In its history the company has sold more than 14 billion pairs of shoes. In 1985
Bata Shoe listed in Dhaka Stock Exchange. At this moment, its shares are traded in our
two stock exchanges (DSE& CSE)

4. Question 1: Define the management decision problem.
From the analysis of Bata Shoe Company Bangladesh Ltd and the shoe industry we have
identified that the shoe industry is growing and identified their main weakness is
insufficient lack of development with the rapid changing market needs, and downward
trend of quality. On the other hand, distribution system and vertical integration are the
strengths of Bata from strategic marketing viewpoint; we see that Bata is taking corrective
steps in almost all the way. In very few sides Bata has lacking.
Some of the Management Decision Problem Bata Facing:
Should a new product be introduced: In case of new product Bata is fail to its competitors
Whereas their main competitors ‘APEX’ and ‘LOTTO’ regularly introducing new product
Bata introduce new product very rarely. Bata confuse about should they introduce new
product or not.

5. Question 2: Define the marketing research problem.
As we know Definition Marketing research is "the process or set of processes that links
the consumers, customers, and end users to the marketer through information —
information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate,
refine, and evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve
understanding of marketing as a process.
From our survey we notice that Bata face some marketing problem as ‘Insufficient
promotional activities’. Bata think that they should go on with more and more retail
outlets rather than intense advertising.
As the Bata’s all the promotional activities design by the Retail Marketing Manager, they
don’t have Marketing Manager regionally.
Target Market Bata don’t define their target market as specific as it needed to be. They
choose their target market ‘lower to middle income group as well as the upper segment.’
As the price of Bata shoes in Bangladesh is high, most of the lower income group people
won’t be able to buy their products.
Social Media The company don’t use social media to promote their business. As the social
media play an important role in marketing. Social media become one of the easy medium
of reaching potential customer. Also through Social Media a company creates its Brand
Increased Brand Recognition and creating Brand loyalty.
Another Marketing Research problem that Bata face is they don’t know the What are the
estimate sales and market share of department stores in a metropolitan area.

6. Question3:Develop a graphical model explaining the consumer choice process leading
to the patronage of this business or its competitors.
Image of the
company
Differentiated line
of products
Quality Purchase
intention
Competitive
Pricing
Strong Distribution
Channel

7. Question4:Developan appropriate researchquestionandhypothesis.
Research question:
Why Your Business Needs Social Media Marketing?
Hypothesis
H1: Increase Brand Awareness
H2: Improved Brand Loyalty
H3: Cost-Effective.

8. Your Business Name?
Bata Shoe Store Ltd.
What is your business type?
It’s a Company.
Are you the owner of the business?
No, I am the manager of this outlet.
Who is your target market?
lower to middle income group as well as the upper segment.
Do you have any employees working in your business?
Yes, currently 4 people working under me, but the festivals (Eids) we hire extra employees
as the demand increase.
What is your visionfor your businessforthe next:6 months, 1 year, 3-5yearsand
10 years and beyond?
Introduction of a strong shoe line targeted to various market segments to maintain
leadership through increased market share. Also to provide good quality shoes at an
affordable price. By keeping in mind the comfort that needs to be there and providing
new designs with it.
What is your Objectives?
Achievement of 100% estimated business in each category Maintain a shoe line with 700
lines of which 200, 300, 150 & 50 lines for Men, Women Children & Plastic respectively.
Introduction of a shoe line as per life style as well as fashion trend. Achieve an average
55% margin in each category Innovate ideas or system for better management of
merchandise distribution by maintaining 4 times stock turn.
What or where is your biggest opportunity that will helpyouachieve this vision?
Bata companies offer our customers fresh, fashionable footwear and accessories,
designed specifically for the needs of the local market at very reasonable price. Our shoes
are always well made from quality materials.

9. What is your greatest strength, and is it consistent with this opportunity?
There are many strengths that Bata enjoying now and its consistent from the beginning
of the company. The strengths are following:
Strengths:
 Image of the company
 Quality Product
 Differentiated line of products
 Competitive Pricing
 Strong distribution channel
 Modern manufacturing facilities
 Brand loyalty at mass level
What is the biggestcustomercomplaint about your company, and howdoes your
company address this problem?
We don’t receive that much complain from our customers.
Briefly describe your marketing program or marketing mix.
Product:
Bata shoe Bangladesh Ltd. has more than 900 lines of shoes in different categories. They
distribute all of these lines of shoes in different parts of Bangladesh through wholesalers,
dealers and through their own stores. In the following chart some of the shoes, itsaverage
price, size and other dominating features are mentioned.
Promotion:
Promotion strategies are concerned with the planning, implementation, and control of
persuasive communication with customers.
Distribution:
The physical distribution starts when the raw materials send to the factory and the
manufacturing process starts there in Tongi and Dhamrai factory.
Who are your biggest competitors andwhat do they offer that you do not offer?
Though Bata has enjoying quite a good market share and know the market for long the
market competition is intensifying day by day.
Compactors
APEX
LOTTO
LIBERTY
PAGASUS
INDEPENDENT HIGH
INDEPENDENT MEDIUM

10. What is your competitor’s biggest failing, and how do you specifically fill that
void?
APEX:
Most of their shoes are expensive. They don’t provide any school shoes. The sports shoe
they bring into the market are mostly imported “Addidas” shoes and quite expensive. In
the men’s section the most dominating color is black, in women section-black and
chocolate. They provide sophisticated color shoes for children. The mostdominating sizes
of the men, women and children are the average sizes that are sold in any Bata store
Do you have a written marketing plan?
Yes, we do.
Do you have a marketing director? If so, describe his/her primary responsibilities
and duties.
Retail marketing manager: As retail is the highest contributor of the company’s business.
Retail marketing manager is responsible for planning, advertising as well as the whole of
the retail operation around the country. He also deals with the governmental regulation
in respect of price, stability, license, fees etc. for launching new products. It is his
responsibility to take initiative to pass all the necessary documents from the regulation
board of government. For this reason, this post-ranked third in the hierarchy of the
companies’ organ gram in Bangladesh.
Wholesale marketing manager: The functional objective of the wholesale marketing
manager is to monitor and planning of wholesale market operation of Bata Bangladesh,
which also is a very important sales channel of the company.
Do you use any kind of technology such as Internet, to promote your business?
Yes, as internet become one of the best source of communication Bata also use internet
to promote its business. Now customer can buy Bata products from Bata’s online store
www.batabd.com.
Do you use social media to promote your business?
No, we don’t.
What are the estimate sales and market share of department stores in a
metropolitan area?
We are not sure about the amount and the exact market share.